Cancer Research UK via ScienceDailyScientists have demonstrated for the first time the "perfect storm" of conditions that cells need to start forming cancer, helping to explain why some organs are more susceptible to developing the disease, according to a new study published in Cell.
The research, carried out by scientists at Cancer Research U.K.'s Cambridge Institute at the University of Cambridge and St Jude's Children's Research Hospital in the United States, shows that cancers are more likely to start in stem cells — special cells that copy themselves so the body can grow new cells, repair damaged tissue and replace old cells.READ MORE

Register today for the 2016 Fall Forum being held November 10-11, 2016 at the Mandalay Bay/Delano Resort in Las Vegas. Click here to visit the conference website.

Co.ExistDepression is often genetic, scientists have known, but now they also know exactly where in the genetics spiral it lurks.
The findings, published a few weeks ago, come from data provided by 23andMe, the gene-testing company, and have been found by aggregating the anonymized data of over 300,000 customers—the largest of its kind.READ MORE

PLOS via ScienceDailyMany of the characteristics that make up a person's face, such as nose size and face width, stem from specific genetic variations, reports John Shaffer of the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, and colleagues, in a study published in PLOS Genetics.
Several lines of evidence suggest that a person's facial shape is controlled by one's genes, but scientists don't yet understand how genetic variation contributes to the range of healthy shapes and sizes that human faces take. READ MORE

TIMESome people can’t start the day without a piping hot cup of coffee (or two, or three). Now, scientists have identified a gene that may explain why some people drink more coffee than others.
By looking at populations of people in villages in Italy, researchers conducted a genome-wide association study in which they examined markers in DNA and identified a gene called PDSS2 that could play a role in caffeine metabolism.READ MORE

Health Information DesignsSpending on specialty pharmaceuticals climbed 18 percent in 2015, compared to an increase of less than 1 percent for standard prescription medications. Despite their effectiveness, specialty medications are under constant scrutiny—reflecting the growing concern of balancing clinical innovation with responsible spending.READ MORE

The Washington Post via Chicago TribuneCall it luck — or a medical miracle. During clinical trials for experimental cancer drugs, some patients simply respond better than others. And a tiny fraction of patients see dramatic results, responding so well to treatment that they survive forms of cancers that quickly kill their counterparts. READ MORE

The Washington PostIf you’re Latino, you could be at risk for colorectal cancer. But the degree of that risk could depend on whether your ancestry traces to Puerto Rico or to Mexico or another Latin American country.
A paper published in the September issue of Current Epidemiology Reports discusses the health implications of classifying Latinos as a homogeneous entity while analyzing existing research about their cancer risks and outcomes and those of various subpopulations.READ MORE

Medical XpressBreast cancer researchers have discovered that mutations found outside of genes that accumulate in estrogen receptor positive breast tumors throughout their development act as dominant culprits driving the disease.
The research, published online in Nature Genetics, focuses on the most common type of breast cancer, estrogen receptor positive, says principal investigator Mathieu Lupien, Senior Scientist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network and Associate Professor in the Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto.READ MORE

Bioscience TechnologyDuring his 2015 State of the Union address, President Barack Obama announced his Precision Medicine Initiative — a research effort designed to develop tailor-made treatments based on an individual's genetics and strain of disease. This campaign coincides with the government’s Cancer Moonshot plan, which will work to “accelerate research efforts and break down barriers” as the industry collaborates to develop innovative, personalized cancer treatments using data insights.READ MORE

Genoptix Medical LaboratoryGenoptix, a Novartis company, is a leading CAP-accredited and CLIA-certified specialized laboratory focused on delivering diagnostic services to hematology/oncology patients and the physicians who treat them.

ForbesAn experimental treatment that sprays on your own stem cells to treat second degree burns and wounds is one of the latest trends in advanced wound care medicine.
According to research firm, Markets and Markets, the advanced wound care market is expected to grow to $14.9 billion by 2020. Advanced wound care is anything outside of standard wound care treatments such as collagen products, antimicrobial dressings, foam dressings, hydrogels, etc.READ MORE

Business InsiderThe Internet of Things is about to transform the way we live and work. And if it reaches its fullest potential, it will fundamentally change every aspect of our lives.
That sort of disruption is evident in the healthcare sector, where the pen and paper has been the primary means of recording patient information for decades. But now, healthcare technology is changing in major ways.READ MORE

Medical XpressA recent study by University of Rochester Medical Center researchers proves why leukemia is so difficult to treat and suggests that the current approach to drug development should be adjusted to target a broader range of genes or signaling pathways.READ MORE

Phys.orgA research team including developmental biologist Stephen A. Duncan, D. Phil., SmartState Chair of Regenerative Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina, has found a better way to purify liver cells made from induced pluripotent stem cells. Their efforts, published August 25, 2016 in Stem Cell Reports, will aid studies of liver disease for the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's $80 million Next Generation Genetic Association Studies Program.
READ MORE

FierceBiotechSince Celyad failed to reach its primary endpoints in a stem cell therapy test in heart patients back in June, CardioCell has felt the pressure to deliver and over the weekend posted broadly positive data. But questions, and the need for more clinical data, remain.
The San Diego-based biotech has published new top-line data from the ESC Congress in Rome that used its allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells, delivered through an IV, to heart failure patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy.READ MORE

Health Data ManagementDespite the importance of developing an enterprise medical imaging approach, the strategy requires the easy exchange of images, and achieving that interoperability is a major challenge, according to results of a recent survey.
Still, more than half of 100 surveyed IT leaders in healthcare organizations say their facility has an enterprise imaging strategy — a major component supporting the move to interoperability — and 54 percent say specialists at their facility can electronically exchange images with patients, providers and referring sites.READ MORE

CNBCGroups of hospitals, doctors and other health providers that agree to coordinate patient care as part of an Obamacare program generated $466 million in savings to the federal Medicare program in 2015, officials said Thursday.
The groups, known as accountable care organizations, provide care for a total of about 7.7 million beneficiaries of Medicare, the program that covers primarily senior citizens.READ MORE

BBC NewsThe maker of the EpiPen will start selling a generic version in the wake of criticism about steep price increases.
Mylan said it expected to start selling a cheaper generic product "in several weeks" at a list price of $300.
That is about half the list price of the existing product, which is used in emergencies for severe food and insect allergies.READ MORE

FierceHealthcareHealthcare insurance companies are actively fighting to keep drug costs low for their members and for their own bottom lines. Now a new policy brief offers state policymakers tips on how to shift more of the costs to payers in an effort to protect consumers. READ MORE

FortuneOn Aug. 15, Aetna announced that it would reduce by 80 percent its participation in the Obama administration’s public exchanges for health insurance policies in 2017, citing significant financial losses. The move came just a few weeks after the Department of Justice blocked a planned merger between Aetna and Humana, two of the largest health insurers in the United States.READ MORE

Seattle Genetics Announces FDA Regular Approval of ADCETRIS® for Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma Patients at High Risk of Relapse or Progression. Click here to view more information.

Sandoz, a Novartis company, announced today that Zarxio(TM) (filgrastim-sndz) is now available in the United States. Zarxio is the first biosimilar approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the first to launch in the US. Please click here for more information.
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